The Northern Ireland native enjoys grabbing a pint with his mates from time to time, actively supports his favorite sports team Manchester United, and takes martial-arts classes to stay active.

He just so happens to parlay his athletic pursuits into a full-blown fighting career, one that’s currently blossoming on the European regional circuit.

Arguably his most important fight to date comes Saturday in the form of a lightweight-championship bout against Marcos Nardini (2-1) at Cage Contender 11.

The event takes place at Kings Hall in Belfast, Northern Ireland, and is headlined by a heavyweight championship fight between UFC veterans Neil Wain and Colin Robinson.

“I basically started off doing martial arts when I was 16, 17 years old,” Parke told MMAjunkie.com Radio (www.mmajunkie.com/radio). “I was just basically doing judo and then amateur boxing and a little bit of freestyle wrestling. Things just really went from there.”

Parke lost his MMA debut to Greg Loughran in 2006, had a two-year hiatus, and then rattled off 14 wins in his next 15 fights, 12 of which came by submission.

“I guess you look at my record and see all submission wins, but it feels like I have really good standup as well,” Parke said. “I’ve been boxing for the better part of six years.”

Parke has called Next Generation MMA home for some time now. It’s where he continues to hone his craft.

His evolving skill set, coupled with his carefree attitude, should bode well for him in the future. He hopes this latest booking could grab the attention of big-show promoters and more lucrative opportunities.

“Basically, I just like to test myself in every way,” Parke said. “I just love a challenge. I’m a very, very competitive person.

“I never thought I’d actually be doing this (MMA) here, to be honest. But yeah, it’s seems like there’s potential there, so why not give it a go?”

MMAjunkie.com Radio broadcasts Monday-Friday at noon ET (9 a.m. PT) live from the Mandalay Bay Resort & Casino’s Race & Sports Book. The show is hosted by Gorgeous George, MMAjunkie.com lead staff reporter John Morgan and producer Goze. For more information or to download past episodes, go to www.mmajunkie.com/radio.